Employment Branding for Passive Candidates?

The most important thing about ‘passive candidates’ isn’t that they are passive, it’s that they are qualified.

Long term readers will understand that I have little time for the idea of “passive candidates”. The theory goes that the best possible candidates are those who are not currently looking for a job. That’s neither clear nor usable.

I like what NetTemps says:

“While some think passive candidates include all qualified individuals who are not currently looking for a job, this is a wishful (almost delusional) way of looking at things. A passive candidate is someone who is not looking for a job, but would be open to taking one if the right opportunity came along. People who are happily employed and not open to taking a new job are not candidates for employment, passive or otherwise-and you will have to wait until they have a very bad day at work before you can consider them a legitimate prospect.”

Passive candidates are not actively looking for a new position. They are satisfied in their current position. The best search firms are typically experts at engaging passive candidates in a 1:1 approach. (The Passive Candidate Mindset)

Sadly, the vast majority of applicants do not possess the skills you are looking for. They’re not even close. You see, the truly qualified individuals are busy working in their fields of expertise and will never see your ad. We call those people “passive candidates.” (Miller-Abrahamson)

It’s simpler, really.

Experienced people who are already working in the industry don’t get jobs by sending out applications. The most important thing about ‘passive candidates’ isn’t that they are passive, it’s that they are qualified. When they want the next job, they network around the industry. When you want them to work for you before they’re ready to move, you network to them.

There are no new entrants to the market who are experienced. As obvious as that is, it gets left out of the conversation all the time. People who are new apply for jobs one way. People who are experienced do it differently. People who are really happy in their work don’t do it.

If I am new to the business, I need your website to tell me about your cultural values, the good works you do, the heroic journey of your CEO and the visionary view that drives your work. If I am experienced, I learn about you at trade shows and from the woman two cubicles over who used to work for you.

So, what is Employment Branding for seasoned professionals?

Well, it isn’t glossy and full of advertising-speak.

The employment branding task, when reaching out to experienced workers, is complicated territory that hasn’t been fully defined just yet. Here are some things to think about.

Communicating the company’s reputation in a way that is consonant with the market’s view. This is harder if the company has a bad reputation or is going through a rough patch. Attempts to repair a bad reputation have to be gradual and part of a long range plan. On the other hand, if the company has a stellar marketplace persona, recruiting gets accelerated. It’s easier to recruit experienced workers to Facebook than HP right now.

Understanding the company’s reputation requires constant market monitoring. Experienced people post reviews on Glassdoor. Inexperienced people read them. Experienced people don’t need to; they are plugged into the industry grapevine.

The more an industry relies on contractors and consultants (say Entertainment, Publishing, Banking, Healthcare), the more these itinerant workers control the company’s reputation in the marketplace. Managing the contractors’ perception of the company is the last thing on most supervisors’ minds. They’re the first people that experienced folks talk to about what it’s like over there.

Even if you have a crummy reputation, people will come to work for you if you offer them skills, money or big opportunities that they don’t currently have. Armed Forces are particularly good at this.

The important things about a company’s reputation vary. Everyone knows that Great Big Consulting Company X is a sweatshop. The insiders also know that 10 years of working for them enables you to write your own ticket.

Experienced employees in your own company are the foundation of great employment branding in the industry. Figuring out how to collect and interpret their view of the firm is the first step. The Glassdoor data tells you what they are saying. That’s where you start.

John Sumser

John Sumser is the founder, principal author and editor-in-chief of the HRExaminer Online Magazine. John explores the people, technology, ideas and careers of senior leaders in Human Resources and Human Capital.
John is the also principal of Two Color Hat where he routinely advises Human Resources, Recruiting Departments and Talent Management teams with product analysis, market segmentation, positioning, strategy and branding guidance.

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